Second Apprentice
by Neyuki
Summary: Umm... Still working on the title, suggestions welcome! Anyway, this story runs parallel to Rurouni Kenshin and the revolution and all that. What if Seijuro Hiko had two students... please read and review!
1. chapter 1

Disclaimer: Characters from Rurouni Kenshin do not belong to me. This goes for the entire story so I will not be repeating it every chapter.  
  
Note:  
  
/..// indicates thought  
  
The only part of the Rurouni Kenshin I have seen is what is aired on Cartoon Network. Since this takes place during another series, there may be some inconsistency between this and that series. Please tell me what they are and I will try to fix them.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Chapter One  
  
The screams were far away now but she could still hear them, even over her panting. They were echoing through the pitch-black night, calling her back to that terrible place, promising her a better life. All lies. Last time they had called her like this she had returned only to receive a good whipping and more work. This time the only thought on her mind was to run, run as far away as possible. She ran until there was not a single light to be seen. No moon graced the sky; no stars were visible through the thick blanket of clouds threatening to burst every second. Suddenly, she collapsed. Her legs ached and her chest hurt with every intake of breath. Running, that was something she had gotten good at. It was the only way to avoid trouble back home. But then again, home had ceased to be that a long time ago. Rain poured down on her. The trees hardly did anything to stop the downpour from soaking her. /There's no way I can stay here. If this keeps up the rain will flood this place for sure.// So once again, the girl got up and made her way up the mountain in front of her.  
  
The rain had let up and was merely drizzling now. The sun was not yet visible but the sky was getting lighter. Through the trees she could see a fire. Smoke curled up, barely visible in the still dark sky. /I should avoid this place. Whoever lives would surely expose where I went if someone came to ask. I don't exactly blend into a crowd, much less the woods.// But the fire was warm; she could feel it even from where she stood. Slowly she crept closer. The clearing was now in full view. There was a cabin too, but no one seemed to be around. It looked completely deserted except for that fire.  
  
There were twigs snapping to her left. She spun around to see a large well- built man trudging through the woods. He hadn't noticed her, not yet, but here was no way to run, and he would notice her in a few seconds. She looked frantically around for a place to hide but found none. When she looked back in the man's direction he was a few feet from her looking at her with a sternly questioning but also curious look. His hair was dark and somewhat long and his body was well muscled  
  
"Who are you?"  
  
No answer  
  
"What is your name?"  
  
Still, no answer  
  
"Where did you come from? Why aren't you home?" The man asked in an exasperated voice.  
  
The girl flattened herself even more against the tree she had been hiding behind. She was trembling, not only from the cold, but also from fear. /This man will ruin me. He will tell them were I am and I will have to go back and this time, I don't think I'll be able to escape.//  
  
"Can you speak?" The man had crouched down and was now even with her face.  
  
The girl gave a slight nod more out of instinct than because she had wanted too. Encouraged by this the man tried to put his hand on her shoulder. He was about to rest his hand on her frame when she disappeared. The man looked at the place where the girl had been, a little confused. No, she had not disappeared. She had simply moved out of the way much faster than he had been expecting. When he looked up, he saw her standing about three feet from him. He extended his hand again but she backed away. /Stupid girl// he thought. /She's freezing half to death and knows I have a fire. Why won't she just come with me?// When he looked at her again she was still exactly where she had been. Her silver gray eyes were staring at him with distrust and at the same time pleading him to help her. The man stood up.  
  
"Alright, if you want to come your welcome to share my fire. I'm not sure how you found this place. It's at least a days walk away from the closest village. That's that way."  
  
The man unknowingly pointed in the direction the girl had come from. With that he walked into the clearing, sat down by the fire, and started feeding the flames with the wood he had been carrying. Slowly she followed him, sat down on the opposite side of the fire and stretched her hands towards the flames to warm them. He could see her clearly now. Her remarkable features were even more startling now that the sun was up. The strangest was perhaps her hair. It was white. Not dull gray white like when a person got old. It was a white shining silver that almost seemed to sparkle when the sun touched it. She could not have been older than ten. Her frame was small but not abnormally so. He fingers were long and still a little blue from the cold. The previously white lose pants had been soaked and splattered with mud. Her deep blue shirt had not fared much better, though the stains were less visible because of the darker color. And then there were those eyes. Narrowed, not directly looking at him but still watching his every move. He tried to imagine what they must look like when she was smiling. How they must glint in the sunlight. The man smiled at her hoping to elicit a smile back, but the girl only narrowed her eyes further, becoming even more suspicious.  
  
/She must be freezing// he suddenly realized. Her wet dirty clothing was sticking to her, and even though she was as near to the fire as she could without being burned, she was still shivering.  
  
"I'll be right back," he said, getting up, picking up the sword that had lain beside him and placing it in his belt. The girl shot up was several yards away by the time he had gotten up. The man shook his head and walked into the cabin. /She's so fast// he wondered as he looked out of the window to see that she had once again taken her place at the fire. He picked up several garments and a blanket as well as a two mugs and some tea and went back outside, where the narrowed eyes of that girl were ever watching him. He laid the garments and blanket halfway towards her.  
  
"They belong to my idiot apprentice. He's making visiting some of the towns at the moment. We're not completely self-sufficient up here," he smiled. "You're welcome to go into the cabin and change. It would help you warm up."  
  
The whole time she had not taken her eyes off him. He felt like those narrowed eyes were staring right into his soul. After a few moments the girl got up and took the clothing, but instead of heading into the house as the man had expected her too, she walked towards the woods, in the exact opposite direction. In a moment, she was out of sight.  
  
When she was sure the man could not possibly see her, she changed into the dry clothing. It felt good to be dry again, if not completely warm. /As if I was going to put myself into a position to be caught. If he thinks he can lock me up in his cabin and wait for someone to pick me up he's wrong. Is this man to be trusted?// she wondered. /He hasn't showed any signs of using that sword but since he spoke of an apprentice he must be good.// The girl walked back out of the woods. In the place where she had previously sat, was a cup filled with steaming tea. Carefully she sat back down.  
  
"I didn't poison it or anything" the man said a little annoyed when he saw her hesitation.  
  
She picked up the cup and put it too her lips. The tea was hot, almost scalding, but felt so warm that she did not really care that she had burnt her tongue.  
  
"So, what is your name?" he said trying again.  
  
A long silence, then, "I have no name." Her voice was clear and a little cold, but not really insulting. From her age, he would have guessed her voice to be light and a bit higher. Instead it was like. like ice. In fact, her whole being was ice. No emotions played across her face; in fact he could not even fathom what she was thinking.  
  
"Then what does your family call you?"  
  
"I have no family. I never knew my parents." She answered in the same voice.  
  
"Oh," /another orphan of the revolution.// "so where do you live"  
  
Silence. /Sorry but that's one thing I can't tell you. If anyone comes by here looking for me I won't give them extra clues.//  
  
"You teach swordsmanship?"  
  
"Yes, as I said before, I sent my apprentice to get some stuff from the villages around here. He should be back sometime today actually."  
  
"What's your name?"  
  
"I am Seijuro Hiko the thirteenth, master of the Hiten Mitsurugi style" /Well, at least she's talking to me now, although I don't like that stare of hers. It becomes somewhat intimidating after a while. Hmm silly, she's only a girl.// She sat still thinking hard for a moment.  
  
"Never heard of you or your style." /My so-called uncle never mentioned anyone by that name and he spends more than half his time criticizing everyone her knows, so full of himself. Whoever this man is, I don't feel like he's lying to me. If that's so and I've really run that far away from that cursed town I should be relatively safe.// She was suddenly aware that Seijuro was watching her. She lifted her eyes to meet his gaze. To his relief some of the tension seemed to have ebbed from them.  
  
"So, what am I supposed to call you?" Seijuro asked  
  
The girl just shrugged her shoulders. Another long silence followed.  
  
"May I call you 'Aisu'?" Seijuro asked.  
  
The girl, who, for once was not staring at him but rubbing her hands against the warm mug, nodded.  
  
/Fits you well too; ice is truly your element Seijuro thought. Aisu it is.//  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Note: "Aisu" is the Japanese word for "ice" (I think, tell me if it's not) 


	2. chapter 2

Chapter Two  
  
Long shadows were starting to creep over the ground. Aisu, as she was now called, had spent the warmer part of the day, washing her clothing and was now nimbly climbing up a tree so as to string a clothing line between two trees. She was distinctly aware of the fact that Seijuro was glancing at her every few minutes. Finally she jumped down from the tree hung up the clothing and gave him a questioning look.  
  
"You're fast, and your agile" Seijuro mused mostly to himself. "How did you become that fast?"  
  
"I ran away a lot. It's the only way to stay out of trouble when." Aisu trailed off, slightly suspicious. "Why would you care?"  
  
"The Hiten Mitsurugi style revolves around speed." He shrugged and continued with his work.  
  
"Teach me." She had walked over next to him.  
  
"I already have an apprentice. I can't teach two, much less when they are at a different level."  
  
"I will catch up."  
  
"No."  
  
"After you're done with your current apprentice?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Because."  
  
"That's not an answer." She walked away abruptly.  
  
"Where are you going to go? You can't stay here. There's a town a days walk that way." Seijuro pointed in the same direction he had earlier. "I can take you there."  
  
"I am not going back. I'd rather live in the woods than go back there." /So she comes from there// Seijuro noted.  
  
"You have to go somewhere." Seijuro sighed.  
  
Aisu walked to the side of the woods and picked up a stick.  
  
"If I hit you before you hit me I stay. Otherwise I leave," she said, holding the stick like a sword.  
  
"No. Swordsmanship isn't some stick game," Seijuro replied, somewhat annoyed by this time.  
  
"So you think you can't do it?" Aisu replied in a taunting tone.  
  
/Stupid girl. What did I get myself into// Seijuro wondered. He got up and faced her with his hand on the sword at his side.  
  
"You're going to use that?" Aisu said, for the first time a little unsure.  
  
"Swordsmanship isn't some stick game." Seijuro repeated and drew is sword, flipping the blade so as not to hurt her.  
  
/This'll be over in a minute. I'll go easy to see what she can do. Pointless though, she can never become my apprentice, no matter how much skill she has.// Aisu wasn't moving but her eyes were narrowed in concentration. /I can't lose this. If I do I'll have to leave// Aisu thought desperately. Seijuro was coming towards her now. His first swing was slow and she ducked under it easily. His second was much faster and forced her to take a step backwards. Seijuro's attacks got faster and harder to dodge every time. Aisu stepped back more and more until she was finally pinned against a tree.  
  
"The problem is," Seijuro continued, "dodging isn't the only part of swordsmanship. You have to attack as well. You can't rely on running and I'd say you're out of places to run."  
  
Seijuro raised his sword and struck straight down. Aisu could see his sword coming. The only way to run was forward. Using the tree to push off, she launch herself on an almost crash course with Seijuro's knee. There was a loud crack as her stick broke against Seijuro's leg and a grunt as she landed ungracefully in the leaf litter behind Seijuro. /Damn, I underestimated her again. She's never going to let me live this down// Seijuro thought discontented. Behind him, Aisu was stirring. Her head was swimming from the unplanned impact with the ground, and she could taste blood in her mouth. She ignored her protesting head and got up to face Seijuro.  
  
"I got you first," she said in a triumphant voice. "That means you teach me."  
  
"Actually I never said 'yes' to your proposal and if you nearly knock yourself out on an attack that did so little damage I would suggest you keep running next time."  
  
/Although that was pretty good// he added to himself, as he walked back towards that cabin. Aisu stared after him a disgusted look on her face.  
  
"I'm not leaving." She shouted after Seijuro who gave no heed whatsoever.  
  
She threw the rest of the stick at Seijuro's back, which did absolutely nothing, bouncing harmlessly to the ground. Aisu turned on her heels and walked into the forest. /You won't get rid of me that easily// she scowled to herself. After a ten-minute trek she found herself by a large oak. The one she had seen from Seijuro's clearing earlier. She promptly climbed up into the bows of the tree positioning herself so that she could see the clearing. /I am going to learn this Hiten Mitsurugi style of his. All I have to do is wait for his pupil to come back and then I can watch them train. I'll get you back for that one.//  
  
Leaves were rustling below her. A boy, only few years older than her, was walking below. His hair was flaming red and he carried a pack with him as well as a sword. /So that's the apprentice. I'll learn, and I'll be better than you// she thought at the unsuspecting boy. /I'll prove to you that you should have taught me. I'll prove it to you, Seijuro.// 


	3. chapter 3

Chapter Three  
  
The large leaves of the oak filtered the morning light. She had only left if sometime in the night to get her now dry clothing. She had also taken a sword. If she was going to learn swordsmanship she had to have something to practice with. The old used swords had been leaning against the side of the cabin and she had spent quiet a while choosing the lightest and oldest one so as to not alert Seijuro, but that was almost pointless. Seijuro was bound to notice. From her perch she could see the smoke curling up into the sky. /It's so peaceful here. I never noticed how beautiful the trees were. I've always thought of them as lumber that needed chopping and hauling.//  
  
"No, no. Have you forgotten everything within a span of three days, Kenshin?" Seijuro yelled at his apprentice impatiently. "Again, faster. And bend you're knees more, loosen up a little."  
  
"Sou Ryu Sen," the boy yelled and rushed at his master. Seijuro avoided the sword easily as well as the sheath that came behind it and Kenshin stumbled, not anticipating the lack of impact.  
  
"You shouldn't be so confidant that you're attack is going to hit. If you stumble you're dead." Seijuro said annoyed. "Again."  
  
Aisu looked at the stance carefully. How his body turned to one side. How he held his yet sheathed sword. How he dashed and drew his sword. She stood up and took the same stance, nearly falling off the tree. She stepped forward as she had seen Seijuro and Kenshin do, and nearly tumbling to the ground again. The second time was easier, then third better yet. She was learning to balance her weight and became familiar with the swords weight. She aimed for a leaf weaving its way to the ground. Right, left, right and draw. The leaf split in half and fell to the ground. Soon she managed to draw the sword and use her sheath to follow it up without losing her balance. More and more split leaves tumbled to the ground and more and more time passed.  
  
Perhaps the hardest move was the Ryu Tsui Sen. To jump and land back on the same branch without slipping was almost impossible. /Lucky Kenshin, he gets to do this on the ground and it doesn't matter where he lands because he doesn't have to worry about becoming a pancake if he messes up// Aisu thought at she sought to pull herself up after failing to land on the limb she was aiming for. Aisu once again took her stance near the trunk of the tree. She stepped forward and jumped up, feeling the leaves brush against her arm as she flew past their branches. For a moment Aisu felt herself floating far above her target. She readied her sword, aiming for the bough in her path, which split a moment later. Her feet landed unwaveringly on a limb. Perfect, finally.  
  
Time flew by and there was no keeping track of it. Her days of training were exhausting for the most part. From the looks he often threw in her direction, she was sure that Seijuro knew what she was doing, however he made no move to stop her so she kept learning. Every step, every movement, every attack drilled itself into her body. Sou Ryu Sen, Dou Ryu Sen, Ryu Tsui Sen, Ryu Sho Sen, and Ryu Kan Sen. Aisu practiced and mastered them each just as Kenshin was. And even now, Kenshin was leaping at Seijuro and she was watching them fixedly. Kenshin had once again failed to do anything productive aside from landing himself in the dirt. Determined, he got up again and took his stance.  
  
"Endurance isn't going to win this Kenshin," Seijuro lectured. "You're body is out of energy. The only reason you're still able to get up is because your using you're swordsman spirit to muster that energy." Kenshin looked at Seijuro confused, panting heavily.  
  
"All right enough of that for today," Seijuro sheathed his sword and Kenshin did the same.  
  
He nodded and all but fell to the ground. /At least I'm not the only one suffering from exhaustion// Aisu thought as she too sat down on her lookout and listened.  
  
"A swordsman spirit is a phenomenon no one can fully explain, however, all swordsmen seem to have it to a certain extent. It lets you stand and fight longer than your physical abilities would normally allow. It gives you strength when you need it most and is in some way related to your ki."  
  
/Is there any way to control it? Can it be used for anything besides endurance? Do you know how to use it?// Questions flashed through her mind. She wanted to ask them all but unfortunately for her. Kenshin would have to do all the asking, but he did not. Aisu made herself comfortable and started taking a count of all the scrapes and calluses she had gotten today and willed them to heal quickly so she wouldn't be sore. Now that she thought about it. She had been healing relatively quickly given the amount of times she had cut herself or slipped. She looked over in Seijuro's direction. Kenshin was still sitting there not having asked any of the things she had wanted to know.  
  
/Seijuro said that the swordsman spirit could give someone more energy. What if it gave someone energy to heal?// Aisu thought about it skeptically. /Energy can't come from nowhere. You either have it or you don't. But what if the swordsman spirit doesn't actually give energy, but merely redirects it. A body needs a certain amount of energy to run and the rest is used in whichever way the user wants to. What if the user unconsciously redirects that energy towards stamina? Now there was an idea. If that was true then there was no swordsman spirit at all, merely a redirecting of energy that anyone might do in a drastic situation. That didn't go against what Seijuro had said though because the only people in which this was likely to occur was in a swordfight.//  
  
Her first thought was to ask Seijuro but she could hardly do that. She examined the scrapes on her leg and willed them to close. Willed her energy into the wound, to close it. Nothing happened. It was already getting dark and the familiar fire started sputtering in the clearing. Aisu felt her eyes close and was soon asleep.  
  
The familiar cries of "again," and "no, you're doing it wrong," were already coming from the cabin. Aisu started. Why hadn't she woken up? She tried to lift her arm to rub the sleep out of her eyes but found it oddly heavy. She looked down at her hand and realized with a start that there were hardly any cuts to be seen. Most of them were gone and those that were not were less swollen and had developed clean scabs. Dimly she remembered her train of thought from last night. If her subconscious really had taken her energy and redirected a lot of it towards healing she was certainly feeling the effects now. She could barely move without sending her head into dizziness. There was something curious. The places where her cuts had been were unusually cold. Not a biting cold. It was refreshing and clean. Her head hurt as if she had not slept for days and she could hardly bring herself to sit up. One day of rest won't matter I suppose she thought dimly and drifted back to sleep.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"There are people suffering," Kenshin said to Seijuro. "How can you not let me go?"  
  
"Fine then, go." Seijuro said in a half-angered voice.  
  
He turned and walked towards that cabin, while Kenshin looked after him for a moment and then left into the forest. /If Kenshin isn't going to learn anymore then neither can I. // This realization lashed through her mind like a whip. If Kenshin was gone then there was nothing to watch, nothing to learn. /I suppose I'll have to ask him to teach me again// Aisu thought reluctantly, but what was the point. Aisu sat for a long time, contemplating the situation, finally deciding that it could not hurt to ask. She jumped down from the perch and made her way towards Seijuro's cabin. By the time she got there Seijuro was feeding the ever-crackling fire.  
  
"Unlike Himura Kenshin, I would like to continue my training." Aisu said.  
  
She was leaning against the same tree that she had used to hit Seijuro the day she had met him. Her arms were crossed over her chest. The beat up sword was at her side and her eyes were narrowed so that he once again felt like she was staring right at his soul. Seijuro turned around and faced with one of his own stares.  
  
"You are not my pupil and I won't teach you."  
  
"You know I've been watching you train Kenshin and you know I've practiced that same moves you taught him. Even if you refused to directly teach me I have learned much of the Hiten Mitsurugi style."  
  
"What you do not seem to understand is that you can't learn certain things by just watching. Hiten Mitsurugi is one of them."  
  
"I want to try again." Aisu said suddenly. "I want to try to hit you again and this time you can't go easy on me."  
  
She walked into the clearing fully facing Seijuro now and took her battoujutsu stance. Seijuro did not show any signs of taking up her challenge instead he merely looked at her stance.  
  
"You're turned to far to the side," he said measuring her stance carefully. "By swinging your sword over a longer distance you gain power but lose speed. You're leaving yourself wide open for attack if you don't accelerate that blade fast enough."  
  
"You have to find a balance between power and speed," Aisu replied, quoting Seijuro. "If I can accelerate fast enough how much I turn won't matter."  
  
"But what if I'm faster," he smirked and took is own stance.  
  
Aisu took the initiative and charged at Seijuro. Seijuro did the same. Blades flashed at the same time and hit each other with such force that Aisu felt her hand quiver. Seijuro was stronger and managed to throw her back. He wasted to time waiting for her to recover, rushing at her with his sword ready. Aisu barely dodged the blow and readied her own. Seijuro blocked with his sword and she was again thrown back. /His strength is too great. I can never win if I rely on strength. so lets go for speed. Ryu Sou Sen!// Arm, shoulder, chest, head; Seijuro managed to block them all, but barely. Aisu was starting to sweat a little as she landed on her feet, her sword ready, immediately dashing at Seijuro once again, hoping to catch him by surprise. Counterattacked low, forcing Aisu to jump up awkwardly. Seijuro smiled, thinking he had her, in response to which Aisu turned her awkward jump into a Ryu Tsui Sen. Blocked again.  
  
"I'm not going to lose my balance that easily. I trained in a tree for the last few years, and balance is something I've mastered."  
  
"I don't doubt that, however," Seijuro continued. "Now you will lose."  
  
Aisu readied herself, watching Seijuro, trying to anticipate what he would do.  
  
"Do you know of the Kuzu Ryu Sen?" He asked, knowing she did not. Aisu's eyes narrowed in return.  
  
"It's an attack that hits all nine vital point at the same time, an extended version of the Ryu Sou Sen you used." Seijuro took his stance. /This ends now.//  
  
/An attack that hits nine points at once? Not possible if you only have one sword, unless it is done so fast that it seems to be happening at the same time. Still I doubt that I'm fast enough to block them all. so I'll dodge them.// Aisu thought determinedly. She saw the first one coming, the second close behind and then the third, fourth. ninth. They were all coming towards her in such close succession she almost could not tell. She blocked the first one and managed to move out of the way of the second, third and fourth, but by then Hiko had adjusted too and there were still five points coming at her on even closer succession than before. She blocked one more before feeling a sharp pain in her shoulder. Aisu threw herself to the side, avoiding the last three points. /She shouldn't have been able to dodge any of them, much less block them.// Seijuro's mind raced.  
  
Aisu ignored the pain in her shoulder. /How do you defend against the Kuzu Ryu Sen?// Aisu wondered. Seijuro had re-sheathed his sword as soon as he had completed the attack.  
  
"No." Aisu yelled as she rushed at him, doing her best to imitate his Kuzu Ryu Sen. Seijuro's eyes showed slight surprise as he saw what she was doing. Aisu Could see her sword, all nine strikes, although not as fast as Seijuro. She watched him to see what he would do. The next thing she knew she was lying on the ground panting, an acute pain in her chest. /I shouldn't have used that attack// Seijuro mentally cursed himself.  
  
"Look's like I got you," he said stating the obvious. /But that was close, She's even faster than before.//  
  
"Look's like it," Aisu replied reluctantly getting up with some difficulty.  
  
"That attack that you used to block the Kuzu Ryu Sen, what was it."  
  
Her question went unanswered.  
  
"What was it?" She asked more insistently.  
  
"Well since your asking I guess you didn't see it, which is good."  
  
"I did see it a little bit." Aisu replied straining her mind back to that moment. "It was like battoujutsu, but way faster, with much greater reach."  
  
Aisu narrowed her eyes at Seijuro who was ignoring it.  
  
"The attack I used is one that you, as an illegitimate apprentice, will never learn. It could have killed you easily."  
  
Aisu's anger flared up but she forced it back down. /I have to get him to teach me.// Aisu though desperately. She raised her hand up to her shoulder concentrating her energy on the spot. Slowly the wound stopped bleeding and started to close itself. Seijuro had a watchful eye on her, which was exactly what she wanted.  
  
"How are you doing that?" He asked. /Finally, I thought he'd never ask.//  
  
"I'll tell you, if you teach me," Aisu replied in a quiet voice.  
  
"I can't teach you." Seijuro said frustration creeping into his voice. /Why can't this girl just understand that I can only have one pupil?//  
  
/There goes my last bargaining tool// Aisu thought reluctantly as she took her hand away from her healed shoulder. It had become cold. Just like the first time she had healed her scrapes and every time she had practiced in between, her shoulder seemed to be surrounded by an aura of winter weather. She took the sword from her belt and handed it to him.  
  
"I'll come back some time. And when I do, I'll be stronger." Aisu called over her shoulder as she walked in the same direction as Kenshin had. "I'll do what your 'real' pupil is going to do. I'll use my sword to protect people and maybe someday you'll see that I'm just as good as Kenshin."  
  
"If you're going to use a sword to protect people you'll need this." He threw the sheathed sword to her and she caught it deftly. /And the problem is not that you are worse than Kenshin; it is the fact that I can only have one pupil.// With a slight smile, she disappeared into the undergrowth. 


	4. chapter 4

Chapter Four  
  
/I didn't expect him to refuse. He was impressed, I sensed that from him and he wants me to keep practicing because he gave me the sword and yet he still refused to teach me.// It had been on her mind every day since she had left Seijuro more than a month ago. Now the sun was once again disappearing and her trek had lead her to a fairly well populated area. While it was by no means massive, the small city had the most confusing streets and she soon found herself lost in them.  
  
As the sky dimmed Aisu noted an abrupt change. Where a few minutes ago there had been children playing in the streets and people talking, now there was nobody. It was like the town had died as soon as darkness came about. Through the cracks of windows she could see light from inside numerous houses but all windows and doors were bolted shut. A little down the street someone was hurrying toward her.  
  
"Why is everything so quiet, where did everyone go?" Aisu asked the woman, who was now a few paces ahead of her.  
  
"No time, no one knows when they'll strike but it's always after dark. You should get inside somewhere." The woman said panting and then disappeared into a house.  
  
Everything was quiet again. Aisu kept walking thinking she had finally found a way out of the convoluted streets of the city. At long last Aisu saw the forest that surrounded the city. She hurried up the last street and was halfway there when she heard screams behind her. Whirling around, she understood what the women must have meant. In the dim light of the moon she could see a group of people walking down the market street. They were destroying doors, smashing windows and several of them were already pouring into the shops taking whatever pleased them. Aisu hurried back towards them. Having passed the market street on her quest out of the city, she was there quickly. She froze for a moment, taking in the destruction that faced her. Two of the bandits noticed her and came closer. They drew their sword and started slashing wildly about. She easily avoided all of their attempts to hit her.  
  
"Sou Ryu Sen," she whispered and drew her blade, hitting her attacker squarely in the stomach. The sheath followed, hitting the other man that was coming at her.  
  
Some of the spectators had now also drawn their swords. And were coming at her. Aisu felt her mind freeze. All she could do was dodge their blows as she was being slowly pushed backwards. All of a sudden she felt stone behind here. They had backed her against a wall. Panic struck her. All of a sudden she remembered something. The voice sounded so familiar. /The problem is, dodging isn't the only part of swordsmanship. You have to attack as well. You can't rely on running and I'd say you're out of places to run' Seijuro Hiko.// Aisu raised her sword and charged at the man in front of her hitting him firmly in the side. Another one appeared before her and she dodged him as well. Immobilizing his arm with her blade. Another and another. They kept coming until finally, there were none left.  
  
Footsteps were coming from her left. Quickly she darted out of sight but not before surveying what she had done. The blade Seijuro had given her was dull; none of the bandits had been killed outright but they were all unconscious and some would probably die from their wounds. Her stomach turned over and she ran into the solitude of the forest.  
  
There was no sound. Trees surrounded her in silence. Aisu sank down at the base of one and closed her eyes. /I did something good. They would've torn the whole street apart if I hadn't stopped them.// Aisu's thoughts were racing, trying to justify what she had done, /This is what Kenshin left to do// Aisu realized. /he left so he could help people just like I helped today.// She thought back to what she had hears of the situation. The bandits had been coming for a while now and no one knew where they were hiding out. The police came but usually not early enough to catch someone with any authority. By the time the arrived only the stragglers were left. /I'll go back. I don't really have anything else to do. I'll help them catch whoever is behind this. I told Seijuro that I'd be just like Kenshin, just as good, and I will be.//  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"There has been another incident, sir"  
  
"Same as all the others? No evidence? No sightings?"  
  
"One possible sighting, sir."  
  
The taller man walked over to his desk and sat down heavily, leafing through the report. It was identical to the ones he received every few days. Reports of an organized group of bandits had been coming in for weeks, but lately there had been an odd turn of events. Someone was stopping the bandits before the police ever arrived. More importantly, whoever it was had managed to do it all unseen.  
  
"Dismissed," The man said absentmindedly.  
  
There, the sentence that he had been looking for. Yellow eyes reread the sentence over and over. ".possible suspect . wearing a cloak with a hood .quick with the sword." /That's like stating the obvious// he though disappointed.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The hilt of her sword connected with the last man's forehead, as he fell unconscious to the ground. She could already hear the footsteps coming from several streets. The light of the moon illuminated the streets ahead of her, and she quickly took the narrowest one. /Why are there more officers tonight? They're everywhere// Aisu though a little desperately ducking into another street when she saw several come down the street she had chosen. Footsteps soon rang in her alternative street as well. Aisu ducked into a narrow ally at the last minute. Aisu flattened herself against the side of the ally as the policemen passed. Her sigh of relief was cut short by someone's footsteps coming down the same road. Whoever it was, was treading carefully, not wanting to be noticed. A tall man wearing a blue uniform came into her view. His black spiky hair hung into his eyes, which were a piercing yellow. He stopped right in her view and searched the alleyway with that determined gaze. His yellow eyes caught her silver one's and he smiled in triumph.  
  
"So you're him," he mused, leaning against the building behind him.  
  
Pointless to pretend he hadn't seen her now. She stepped out of the shadows and the moon illuminated her worn, brown cloak.  
  
"Not quiet" Aisu said as she removed her hood and loosened her silver hair from its confines letting him see that she was not male, as he had first thought. The result was as she had predicted. His eyes widened for a moment and then quickly returned to their previous narrowed state. /So I managed to surprise you after all, Wolf of Mibu.//  
  
"So tell me," Aisu continued, pressing her advantage. "Why go to so much trouble to catch me? It's never going to work no matter how many of them you send into the streets. I'll sneak around them all."  
  
"Try? I'd say I succeeded," the man said. "It is curious. Someone of your skill, and I've never heard of you. You must admit it is curious.  
  
"I'd like to point out that you haven't caught me at all, Hajime Saitou. You have only seen me and I can change that very quickly."  
  
"So now that you know who I am, who are you?" Hajime said, changing the subject.  
  
"You may call me Aisu" she replied carefully.  
  
"Is that not your real name?" He asked, sensing something in her voice.  
  
"My real name never existed, as far as I know."  
  
Only footsteps broke the silence and they were getting loader. Aisu turned to look down the street and turned back to the Shinsengumi captain.  
  
"I hope we meet again, Hajime Saitou." She nodded, pulled her hood up again, and disappeared into the night. 


	5. chapter 5

Chapter 5  
  
The raids had been dying down, there hadn't been one in several days and Aisu felt rested but impatient. /What now. There's nothing for me left to do. Maybe I should go wandering again.// The revolution was far from over but here things seemed to be quieting down. She had met Saitou again on several occasions. He had told her that there was no information whatsoever about who was in charge. She really had no information at all. No clue as to where the trouble came from or what the point of it was. Her ears picked up footsteps coming towards her. She had a felling she knew who it would be. After all, he was the only one who knew she was here.  
  
"Thought I'd drop by," The deep voice of Saitou said as he looked up through the branches to get a glimpse of her. /You never just drop by.// Aisu dropped gracefully down from her perch.  
  
"You've found something," she said in a calculating voice. "What is it?"  
  
"True," he smirked, knowing how badly she wanted to know, no matter how off- hand she acted.  
  
"If you came to tell me, then do so. If you came to dangle it over my head, leave," she replied curtly. /I'm not going to put up with your stupid games.//  
  
"We found where most of them are hiding," He went on to describe the site of an old, torn down warehouse where, supposedly, the bandits were using the still in tact basement as their hideout.  
  
"But you won't go in there," Saitou said, seeing that her hand had found it's resting place on the hilt of her sword.  
  
"Why not," Aisu said carelessly. "You know full well I can take care of myself." /Although I know that's not why you're telling me not to go.//  
  
"I will be there at sundown." Saitou replied icily. "If you want to, you may join with me but do not ruin my cover before I even get there, understand."  
  
He fixed her with a piercing yellow stare. She nodded in agreement.  
  
"I won't blow your cover," she replied unnecessarily. /You're more likely to blow your own cover Saitou.// Saitou had turned and was walking away from her.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The warehouse itself was almost nonexistent. Little more than a pile of lumber and rubble marked the location where it had once been. Aisu sneaked up to the place where the entrance was supposed to be. Everything was quiet. The sun was nearly down. /All I told Saitou was that I would not blow his cover. And I will keep that promise.// Inaudibly she disappeared into the opening.  
  
The air smelled of dust and was hard to breath. As she slid down the spiraling dark steps, she wondered whether Saitou had lied to her but then she saw a tiny glimmer in the distance. The stairs emptied into a large unornamented room with double doors opposite the stairs. The room had the look of some kind of prison. With low wooden rafters seeming to collapse every second and rotting wood on the walls adding to the dark scene, the room gave her an eerie feeling. Past those doors voices were discussing something she couldn't quiet understand. Too bad she had to wait for Saitou to get here. Reluctantly she made herself comfortable on one of the rafters above the entrance and waited.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Saitou was taking in every aspect of the area. The entrance was like a dark pit and he dared not shine a light down it. He found himself wondering where Aisu was. /If she was around here she would have noticed me and shown herself by now// he thought puzzling. /Well I'm not going to wait around for that girl// he though dismissively and a moment later, acutely aware of the fact that he had not dismissed her from his mind. He ducked into the basement, following the narrow staircase for several minutes. He came into the dreary room, hearing voices behind the double doors.  
  
She could see him standing below here and slid down behind him. He heard her soft landing and whirled around sword slicing through the air where she had been a second ago.  
  
"You're late," she said now beside him. The only clue that she had not been there the entire time was the fact that her cape still swayed around her.  
  
"I told you to wait for me," Saitou replied, hiding the anger he felt at being disobeyed and having failed to even scratch her with his sword. It was slightly discontenting to know that if she turned on him, he'd have a good fight on his hands.  
  
"I did wait for you," Aisu replied calmly, " and I did not blow your cover either. Now let's go."  
  
Saitou turned his back to her and walked towards the large doors. The voices had stopped. The sound of shuffling feet and several doors closing reached Aisu's ears. Then there was silence. Saitou too drew is sword again and moved into his gatotsu stance.  
  
"And you were worried I was going to blow you cover, when your about to make a racket for the sake of getting into an empty room," she whispered as she walked past him, turned the handle, silently opened the door, and crept inside. Saitou followed her, even more discontented. The room was indeed empty. Several doors were on each wall and in the middle of the room sat a table. Saitou rushed over to it and examined the plans lying on it. There was only a map of the city, one that could be found in any store. No marks or symbols gave away anything about the crowd of people who had occupied the room a few moments before. Saitou looked around the room. There were seven doors total.  
  
"Pick one, I have a feeling they're all interconnected," Aisu suggested when she saw him looking at each of the doors in turn.  
  
Saitou did not answer but finally opened the one in the back corner of the room. The revealed a narrow passage. Saitou went first and soon came to a fork and chose the wider one. Another fork soon followed the first, and then another. Finally they turned into a wide passage and Aisu came to walk next to him. She was just over two thirds of his height. His hair was dark and spiky while hers was silvery white and flowed over her shoulders. His walk was abrupt while she seemed to all but float over the ground. /We're pretty much the exact opposite. The only thing we really have in common is skill with the sword// Saitou thought. He was pulled out of his train of thought when Aisu stopped, listening. He heard it too. There were footsteps coming from behind.  
  
"I don't think we want to be discovered yet," Aisu said quietly. "We should avoid confronting them.  
  
Saitou nodded in agreement. And broke into a light run down the only silent corridor. At the next turn there was again only one choice, and same with the next.  
  
"They're herding us," Aisu realized out loud. Saitou's eyes twitched in understanding.  
  
"Then let's not get pushed around anymore," Saitou declared and stopped in the comparatively wide passageway.  
  
There were men running towards them from both sides. Saitou had taken his gatotsu stance and was already busy with the ones that had been following them. Aisu started towards the men coming from the other side.  
  
"Ryu Kan Sen" Aisu yelled as she dodged the first blow and hit the attacker in the midsection.  
  
The passageway was just wide enough for two of the men to attack her at once. Saitou certainly hadn't picked the best place to fight. They were back-to-back taking pains as not to let anyone get between them. There seemed to be no end to the attackers. These were not the weaklings she had fought in the streets either. Their skill level was much greater. Although she could have defeated any of them by themselves she was afraid to move around very much for fear of leaving Saitou open to attack from behind. Saitou was doing the same and it was starting to wear both of them down.  
  
Where he came from, Aisu never knew. Whether it was her or Saitou who had for a split second abandoned the others back, Aisu never knew either. All she knew was that Saitou was down on his knees with a slash in his side. Aisu knocked out the offender and could do nothing to stop another man from hitting Saitou across the chest. Saitou had crawled to the wall with Aisu standing in front of him. She found herself attacked from but not able to defend herself on all sides. Her arms and shoulder were bleeding. Her sword and sheath were flying, reaching whomever they could. Saitou, who was bleeding far worse than her, was using the wall to get up while Aisu was standing in front of him keeping the attackers at bay. Never being able to finish them off because she did not want to leave Saitou in the condition he was in. They were being driven into a corner.  
  
"We can't win this," Aisu whispered out of breath. "So we'll have to run. Ready?" She didn't wait for his answer.  
  
"Dou Ryu Sen" Aisu yelled.  
  
Her sword whipped millimeters over the ground, which started to shake violently. 


	6. chapter 6

Chapter Six  
  
The room was collapsing. Most of the men realized this and ran. Those who remained were startled and Aisu quickly took them down. She helped Saitou up and they left the collapsing room.  
  
"Do you know a way out?" Aisu asked.  
  
Saitou shook his head mutely, still clutching his side. Aisu cursed and moved as fast as she dared with Saitou leaning heavily on her. The place seemed to be deserted now that it was shaking violently, threatening to collapse any moment. They came to another large room they had not seen before. In the middle was a man wearing a cloak similar to Aisu's brown one. His was far better tailored however and a cloth covered his face in such a way that only his dark brown eyes were visible. /He must be the one leading them.//  
  
"So you're finally here," His voice echoed through the still vibrating room.  
  
She let go of Saitou who stood somewhat shakily. Aisu walked forward and took her Battoujutsu stance.  
  
"I don't fight with little girls." His voice laughed, ridiculing her. "Get out of the way and let me fight the Shinsengumi captain." Saitou started walking forward. /No, Saitou. No one gets away with calling me weak.//  
  
"If I'm so weak then it won't take you but a moment to defeat me and then you can start your real fight," Aisu replied icily.  
  
"You have a point there," the man equally readied his blade.  
  
"Sou Ryu Sen," Aisu said to herself and charged at the man. He did the same, but much faster than she had expected.  
  
She drew her sword and the man dodged moving to the side where Aisu's waiting sheath hit him cleanly in the stomach. He stumbled backward a little. Aisu took the opportunity to attack him again. The man regained his balance and blocked her attack throwing her back slightly. He came at her again. Their swords clashed. His attacks were powerful. If it came to pure strength she would lose, but it would never come to that.  
  
"I'm impressed," The deep voice said in amusement. "You're not a weak child after all." An evil chuckle followed. "But you're strength doesn't match mine."  
  
He charged again. /He's using the momentum to increase his strength.// An image of Kenshin landing in the dirt after he had failed to anticipate the lack of impact while practicing flashed through her mind. /Fighting like that gives you strength but you won't have as much mobility.// At the last moment Aisu jumped up. As she predicted, the man stumbled. /Now, to finish you off.//  
  
"Ryu Tsui Sen." Her sword came down hard from above, impacting with her opponent's shoulder, making him crash into the ground. He lay there unconscious. The floor shook from the impact and part of the ceiling collapsed. A huge dust cloud obscured everything. Another part of the room collapsed. Whoever the man was, he had been buried in rubble. Aisu hurried back to Saitou.  
  
"We have to get out of here now."  
  
For once Saitou did not protest. Quickly she chose one of the two passages with an upward slope. The light coming from the room they had left was fading fast and her night vision was failing her. Somewhere behind her the corridor collapsed. They were in total darkness. Aisu felt along the side of the corridor it still had an upward slant. She stumbled when she found stairs and hastily climbed them.  
  
"We're not going to get out," Saitou said beside her. "Were underground, completely disoriented and with no light." We'll run out of oxygen or the tunnel will collapse."  
  
"We are on an upward slant. Maybe it leads to a door." Aisu panted, ignoring the fact that Saitou's scenario was much more probable.  
  
Aisu nearly passed out as her head hit the protruding lumber. She felt in front of her. The stairway had collapsed. They were stuck at a dead end. Aisu turned around abruptly wanting to go back down and take the other passageway that had lead up. She went down the steps running into Saitou. He winced but did not say anything. /Oh, I forgot, the stairway collapsed behind us.// Aisu climbed the stairs again to see if she could clear the stairway. Her arms ached not only from the cuts she had received but also from the dust that had settled in them. She way was completely blocked. Nothing budged when she threw her weight against it.  
  
"How far below ground do you think we are?" Aisu asked.  
  
"Can't be that far anymore," Saitou admitted. "We've been going up for quiet some time now. What are you thinking of doing?"  
  
"Starting another earth quake," Aisu replied. "If we're not too far underground and the earth breaks in the right places, we could have a way out."  
  
"Or the earth could break in the wrong place and we're crushed under it." Saitou replied with cold logic.  
  
The air was getting thin and hard to breath. Both were coughing more often because of the dust floating everywhere. Everything was silent and pitch black.  
  
"What do you suggest we do?" Aisu asked.  
  
There was no reply for a while. "I suppose we have no choice," Saitou replied heavily.  
  
"We should be close to the wall though. It will decrease our chances of being crushed by a little." Saitou heaved himself up and sank down right next to the debris that was blocking their way.  
  
Aisu got up and drew her sword. "Dou Ryu Sen," She whispered as her sword whipped over the ground, causing it to tremor. Aisu could feel the earth above them breaking, grating against itself, and sliding down upon them. There was a shudder and earth rained down on them. In front of her the ceiling had fallen down with a crash. As it hit the broken stairs, Saitou grunted. /It must have fallen on his leg.// Aisu crept forward to push the debris away. Just then a ray of light illuminated the cavern. She could see Saitou's leg stuck under what had been the roof of the stairway.  
  
"Climb up there, now," Saitou grabbed her arm roughly and shoved her towards the crack the earthquake had created. The earth was still shaking and it was threatening to close any moment. She pushed his hand away and threw her weight against the mess of wood and earth. It budged but just a little bit. She tried again and the wreckage rolled down the mangled stairs. Setting her feet carefully she began to squeeze through the crack that lead upwards. It was a very short distance, hardly two meters.  
  
"Give me your hand," She yelled down to Saitou. Just then the ground shook again and the crack narrowed considerable. Saitou made no attempt whatsoever to reach her hand. Instead he waved her away. She climbed further down thinking she might have gone up to high for him to reach but he still made no motion to get out. Finally she landed back next to him, took his arm and but it over her shoulder.  
  
"What are you doing? Get out of here there's no way I'm going to make it up there with this leg." Saitou protested.  
  
"Let's go," Aisu said, ignoring him.  
  
Aisu started climbing up the narrow crack again, this time with Saitou in tow. As she was reaching the top, another tremor shook the earth around them and made the crack tighter still. A mess of roots and vies was now obscuring the exit. Aisu drew her sword and hacked a passage through underbrush. Using her sword as a lever, she pulled Saitou and herself up. There was another tremor. Aisu held on to her sword hoping it would hold and allow her to pull herself up. It didn't. She felt it snap under the pressure. Aisu managed to grab one of the roots and avoid sliding back down into the abyss.  
  
Eventually Aisu felt clean air enter her lungs. She dragged Saitou up and out of the crack. The wound at his side had started bleeding again. For the first time she was able to look at her cuts and was shocked at how bad they were, no longer being able to shut out the pain. She collapsed where she was, her brain aching and swimming with dizziness. 


	7. chapter 7

Chapter Seven  
  
When Aisu next woke she the night was not quiet over. Her arms and shoulder were stiff and ached horribly. It took a moment for her to realize where she was. She jerked her head to one side so fast it hurt and saw Saitou there, his hand over his wound. His breathing was harsh and shallow. Ignoring another wave of dizziness, Aisu sat up. Her sword lay broken beside her. She looked at it dully, not believing she had broken it. Running water reached her ears. There was a stream nearby. She crawled over to Saitou and started to half carry and half drag him and her sword towards the sound.  
  
When she arrived at the stream, her strength failed her again and she sank down. /There's no time. If I don't clean his wound it might get infected not to mention I might lose my arm to infection as well.// Aisu stumbled over to Saitou looking at his side for the first time. She gently removed his hand. Blood was oozing in some places but a scab had started to form around most of the wound. She cupped her hands into the river and poured the water over the wound. The dirt was mostly on the surface so it came off easily. Once the wound was clean she looked around for something to bandage it with. The only thing large enough was her cloak and that was covered in dirt. Reluctantly she started washing it out and after wringing it out so that it was hardly damp, ripped it into strips. Aisu sighed as she finished bandaging Saitou's side wound. The slash on his chest was not nearly as bad. It was shallow as he had been able to partially block the attack. After washing and bandaging it as well she turned to her own wounds.  
  
/Compared to Saitou, I got off easy// she thought guiltily as she washed her arms and legs. There was nothing too serious. The danger came not from the depth of the cuts, rather the fact that there were so many of them. The exception was the cut on her shoulder, which was quiet deep and had never had a chance to close because of the constant movement. The last of her cloak went to bandaging her shoulder.  
  
Aisu gingerly leaned herself against a tree, concentrating her energy, pouring it into the wounds, willing them to heal. Looking over at Saitou, she felt sorry she could not do the same for him. /Could I// she wondered. She got up and walked over to him. Leaning next to him she put her hand carefully over the wound on his side. She could feel the blood rushing past there, feel his energy, so feeble, attempting to heal the wound. She called more of it to the injury and willed some of her own energy into him. Aisu felt her energy draining. /Not so much// she wanted to scream. She pulled her hand away from the bandages nearly collapsing from dizziness. Crawling back over to the tree she fell into darkness.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The sun was high so that the trees could no longer filter out the sunlight now playing on his face. Saitou opened his eyes. /That fight last night, Aisu made the tunnel collapse and dragged me out.// Pieces of memory were floating into his mind until he finally had a clear idea of what had happened. He tried to more but his body would not respond. His wound was no longer the overwhelming pain he remembered it to be. It was a major effort to list his hands to his side. He found both of his wounds bandaged neatly. He propped himself up and looked around to see Aisu sleeping, her back against a tree. With great difficulty he got up and let himself down a short way away from her.  
  
"Aisu, wake up. Aisu" he called to her.  
  
She opened her eyes. Her head felt heavy and her shoulder still ached. Saitou was sitting somewhat next to her. That meant his wound must be healed for the most part.  
  
"What exactly did you do?" He asked.  
  
"What do you mean?" Aisu asked, confused and dizzy.  
  
"Last time I checked, sword wounds like this don't heal overnight," he pointed as his bandaging. "And," he continued, "I have barely energy left to walk. Did you do that?" His voice was much like always. Cold and slightly angered at the fact that she had obviously done something he had no clue about.  
  
"I made you heal yourself," she said simply. He fixed her with a piercing gaze, expecting her to say more.  
  
"It's all energy, once you know how to control it you can send it anywhere. I concentrated your energy on healing your wound so there's none left for you to do other things." Even as she explained this, Aisu felt herself drifting off to sleep again.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Aisu remembered waking up several times over the next few days. She never really felt conscious though. /I wish I knew how much time has passed.// Her shoulder did not really hurt anymore. She took of the bandage and was surprised to see it almost completely gone and a little startled at how cold it was. Always when she redirected her energy no matter what source there was an aura of cold afterwards. She had never been able to explain that. Saitou was nowhere to be seen. /He could have at least thanked me.// She noted that her sword, broken as it had been, was gone as well.  
  
The bandits were gone. There was nothing to do here anymore. /Where am I going to go? Just keep wandering I guess. Being beaten by those bandits like that proves I'm not ready to learn more of the Hiten Mitsurugi style. You just wait, Seijuro.// Aisu got up, cupped her hands to get one last drink from the river before heading to the path she knew ran from the village to some other place. It felt odd to walk along the wide trodden path without her sword at her side and yet It was also refreshing to once again hear the sound of wind rushing through the trees.  
  
Quick footsteps behind her were the only disturbance. She turned around and saw Saitou catching up with her. He fell in step beside her and they walked in silence for a while.  
  
"So you're leaving," he said stating the obvious. Aisu nodded.  
  
"If what you say about this whole energy thing is true then shouldn't I have been out longer than you?" He asked after a while.  
  
"I transferred some of my energy into your wound. I had never done anything like that before and I could not stop, so I ended up giving you more than I originally intended." She answered hesitantly. There was another extended silence.  
  
"Why?" Saitou said under his breath so that Aisu would not supposed to be able to hear.  
  
"Why what?" Aisu asked.  
  
"Why did you come after me," He asked out loud. "The crack was caving in. Had it collapsed but a moment sooner we would have both been killed. You should have left me."  
  
"This is new. Why would you play the self-sacrificing hero?" She said after a while. "If you live by a philosophy of self-sacrifice you could never find any peace. You only have one life but so many people to die for." Aisu kept going, not wanting to be interrupted "Hajime. That means beginning, doesn't it?" He inclined his head in agreement. She raised her eyes to his. "Someone whose name literally means beginning. You shouldn't choose to do the exact opposite and end your life." She looked back at the ground kicking a stray rock.  
  
"I have your sword. That is, I had it repaired." Saitou grinned down at her. "I told the smith to melt the metal down and make one exactly like the original, with the hilt and everything."  
  
He took the sword out of his belt and handed it to her. She took it from him, expecting it to be heavier or lighter in some way, but it wasn't. Aisu tucked the sheath under her belt and drew the sword, examining it. It was no longer rusted or dented. The blade was smooth and sharp. It glinted in the sunlight. She put it back in its sheath.  
  
"Thank you," she smiled. "That sword means a lot to me."  
  
//I figured that. No one would use a beat up sword like that without good reason// Saitou chuckled to himself.  
  
"What style of swordsmanship do you use?" Saitou asked after a while.  
  
"Why do you ask?"  
  
"I think I know someone who uses a style like yours"  
  
Aisu started. /Kenshin.//  
  
"Oh," was the only reply.  
  
Saitou was watching her, having noticed her reaction. He decided not to press the subject for now.  
  
"Well, this is where I leave you," Saitou stopped and Aisu with him. "I want to give you one last thing."  
  
He fished something out of his pocket, took her hand and closed it around the object. Aisu opened her hand to examine what he had given her. It was a delicate silver chain with an elongated glass cube at the end of it, hanging by a corner. The cube was half filled with some kind of liquid that reflected brilliant colors in her had when the sun chanced upon it.  
  
"I'm not some lady to be pampered with jewelry," Aisu said, more than a little hurt that he would think of her this way half thinking she would chuck it back at him.  
  
"I did not mean it like that." Saitou said immediately. "The liquid in that cube is actually a stone. It only becomes solid at very cold temperatures. I simply found it curious that," he took her hand along with the pendant and put it to her shoulder. "You could make it turn into a stone."  
  
It was true. The place where her shoulder had been wounded was still cold and when the liquid came near it, it turned into crystals much like quartz but far more brilliant. He smiled as she wondered at the spectacle.  
  
"Good bye, then," Saitou said, turned around and left.  
  
"Farewell," She called after him as she fastened the chain around her neck and walked on. 


	8. chapter 8

Chapter Eight  
  
She could see Kyoto now. The city could not be missed from the place where she stood, overlooking the busy streets and market. As she came nearer her amazement only increased. /Kyoto is much larger than I imagined.// In front of her, people were rolling carts to and from the market, bargaining over the price of things and hurryingly going about their business. The streets were not as crowded as they must be during times of peace. The many people around her jostled and pushed her. The noise could be deafening at times. She had never liked being around so many people and turned into a quiet side road off the main street. Aisu opened the door to a small, jingling the bells hanging from the frame.  
  
Sitting down in a corner, she ordered a cup of tea, relaxing herself. /I wonder what Kyoto must be like were this not the revolution. Commerce has surely been affected yet the streets are still crowded with people. I suppose everyone must make their living.// She took another sip of tea. /Odd, how a city that must receive the brunt of all militaristic action taken in the name of the revolution seems to be able to ignore it and get on with life.// Her cup was half empty now. Aisu stared into it. Why did I come here? On her travels she had heard much about Kyoto and just decided to go. She felt drawn to it but did not really know why.  
  
Bells rang and several more people entered the shop. She was vaguely aware of them sitting down near her. Their talk was of the political situation, why the revolution had started and how it would end. She set her mind back to her own thought when something in their conversation caught her attention.  
  
"I heard there was another assassination"  
  
"Yeah, me too. They're commonplace these days."  
  
"Of course, this is the revolution. But listen, this assassin must have been talented. Didn't even give his victim time to scream. They call him Hitokiri Battousai."  
  
"There are so many assassins these days it's hard to believe one of them could distinguish himself from the others. I've heard of him too though. Overheard someone talking about him. His speed and precision is supposed to be unsurpassable, is what the guy said"  
  
The conversation turned to other matters. /So they are aware of the dangers in Kyoto. I guess I knew they were but this is the first time I've heard anyone admit to it.// She drank some more tea. /I suppose all assassins have to have speed and precision to be any good at their job. It's odd that those qualities describe the Hiten Mitsurugi style as well.// She stared at the wall thoughtfully. /Does every swordsman style revolve around these principles?// She did not know. The only type of swordsmanship she knew of was Hiten Mitsurugi. That was enough.  
  
People came and people left. Aisu was still sitting in the corner lost in thought. She had ordered another cup of tea and had just drained it when the bells rang again. This time her head snapped up. She could not see the door from where she was sitting but whoever had just walked in had a swordsman's ki, and a familiar one. Whoever it was seemed to have noticed her too. The tall man walked up to her and sat down across from Aisu.  
  
"I didn't expect to see you here, Saitou," She greeted him.  
  
"Business," Saitou shrugged, his eyes resting on the pendant he had given her, and then meeting her silver gray eyes. "May I ask what brings you to Kyoto?"  
  
"I suppose there is no particular reason. My travels simply lead me here, so I am here."  
  
"I see," Saitou replied in a tranquil tone by his standards.  
  
They talked about the revolution, events that had taken place since they last met and finally came to discussing their encounter with the mysterious gang of bandits.  
  
"They dug up some of the ruins from warehouse and recovered the bodies, including the leader. He was never identified though." Saitou paused. "We made a good team, didn't we."  
  
Aisu looked up from her hands to see Saitou hiding a grin.  
  
"I don't say that often." /Why are you being so nice Saitou? What are you up to?//  
  
"Can you tell me what style of swordsmanship you use now?" Saitou asked, bringing the conversation back to when they had last spoken/  
  
"I cannot tell you. It was under rather. odd circumstances that I learned it," Aisu replied slowly, thinking of Seijuro and his refusal to teach her. Saitou paused again.  
  
"Can you tell me who else uses this style of yours?" Saitou questioned.  
  
"Why are you asking me this?"  
  
"I am sure that you have heard of an assassin known as the Battousai." Aisu remembered the conversation that had taken place next to her and nodded.  
  
"I have reason to believe he uses a style similar to yours, if not the same."  
  
"I see" Aisu replied. /The same? There are only three people who know Hiten Mitsurugi: Seijuro Hiko, Himura Kenshin, and myself.//  
  
"The same?" she repeated under her breath.  
  
"Yes," Saitou pressed. "Is there something you can tell me?"  
  
"No, you're mistaken," Aisu said quickly. /Kenshin had left in order to help people. He would, he could not have become an assassin.// "My style is not that of the Hitokiri Battousai."  
  
"How can you be certain," Saitou pressed on, sensing that she wasn't telling him something.  
  
"They are not the same," she repeated, convincing herself as much as Saitou.  
  
"Very well," Saitou conceded for now.  
  
"Are you here because of Battousai?" Aisu asked.  
  
"Yes. We are on opposite sides, the Battousai and I. We fought several times once before, but the fights were inconclusive." Saitou stopped deciding that that was all she needed to know. "Where will you be staying in Kyoto?"  
  
"I don't know where I'll be staying yet." Aisu's mind was still gleaning his words about the Battousai. /Saitou's one of the best when it comes to skill. If his fights with the Hitokiri were inconclusive this Battousai must he good.//  
  
"I could offer you a room at our headquarters, if you like," Saitou suggested, jerking Aisu away from her thoughts.  
  
"No, thank you," Aisu replied too quickly.  
  
"Are you sure? The way you've been living you can't have enough money to rent a room at an Inn and you do need a place to stay for the night, don't you?"  
  
"Nonsense. I'll just do what I've done since I started wandering; I'll find myself some place in the woods and sleep there." Aisu reasoned fervently.  
  
"It's not exactly safe to just sleep in the middle of the woods with no protection. Are you certain you-"  
  
"I will be fine." Aisu cut him off tersely.  
  
/You think that after so much pressing I won't suspect something? You know that I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself. I won't let you watch my every step, Saitou, which is surely what you're after by asking me to stay at your headquarters. You suspect I am not telling you everything but you are hiding much as well. I suppose you know I will try to find this Battousai and you are right but if you think I will lead you to him you are wrong, because if the Battousai is.// She faltered. It could not be and she would prove it to herself by finding this Battousai.  
  
"I should be going." Aisu said in a slightly softer tone.  
  
Before she could give the money to the waiter. Saitou had paid him.  
  
"If you need a place to stay just tell me," Saitou put on smile.  
  
"I will, thank you." Aisu got up and left quickly.  
  
Saitou's eyes were boring into her back as she all but ran out of the place. 


	9. chapter 9

Chapter Nine  
  
Aisu had walked the street of Kyoto for several weeks now, by day and by night. The legendary killer had not shown himself. She had seen Saitou every day without fail but only in passing. They had not spoken again since the meeting in the shop and he was much colder to her when they passed in the streets. It was clear to her now that Saitou was indeed looking for the Battousai, but for a very different reason. /All I want is to find out who Hitokiri Battousai really is. Saitou wants to kill him. I must find him before Saitou does or risk never finding out.// Aisu's urgency increased with every passing day yet the manslayer remained hidden.  
  
She masked her ki at all times both to conceal herself from Saitou as well as from the Battousai. Shadows were plentiful in Kyoto's narrow streets, yet every shadow was a reason to halt and watch. Disappointment usually followed. There was no one hiding in those shadows. No one was up at this time of day, much less in the drizzling rain that had characterized the last few nights. Just the same Aisu made her nightly rounds. Halting at every shadow as she did now. A coach passed her, the horses' hooves dulled by the splattering of the rain. She waited for it to pass out of sight and glanced around for any sign of movement. There was none, as usual. She leaned against the building that shrouded her in darkness.  
  
Another fruitless night, or was it. Even through the noisy rain was dominant she could hear footsteps somewhere. She could see something now too. A figure was moving from shadow to shadow, following the coach. The silhouette was masking their ki well, a swordsman. Saitou she thought immediately. But Saitou didn't move in one fluid motion like that, nor was the form tall enough. Whoever it was, was of delicate build, definitely not Saitou.  
  
She followed the shadow, which was catching up with the coach quickly. Finally she made her move, running silently past her target stopping a few yards in front of him. The figure had stopped, his face still hidden in shadow. The man's hand rested on the sword at his side, ready to draw at any moment. Neither moved out of the shadows for a long moment. Aisu took the initiative, stepping forward into the light, her silver gray eyes looking where the man's eyes must be. The man also took a step forward; his long fiery hair caught the light and in a moment his narrowed violet eyes met hers. /Himura Kenshin. Kenshin. It is you. How could you.// Thought failed her.  
  
"Who are you?" His voice was threatening. Nothing remained of the innocence she had known.  
  
Aisu gave no answer. Her mind was frozen. Her thoughts were frozen. She could not move a muscle.  
  
"Who are you?" Kenshin's voice was harsher this time, as if he was growing impatient.  
  
/Himura Kenshin. Hitokiri Battousai. No, I won't believe it. and yet.//  
  
"Take your hand away from your sword," he said suddenly taking his battoujutsu stance.  
  
Aisu realized that her hand had come to rest on the hilt of her sword. He had seen that as a threat. /He probably just looks like Himura Kenshin. I'll prove you're not Kenshin. I know Kenshin's fighting style. I'll fight you Battousai and prove you are not Kenshin Himura.// Her mind was screaming, desperate to find an explanation. She took her own battoujutsu stance. The Battousai rushed at her and their blades clashed together, their speed equal. The Battousai retreated a step, only to charge again. Aisu jumped up ready to use the Ryu Tsui Sen. Her blade was hardly thirty centimeters from the Battousai when he blocked it, just like Hiko had stopped Kenshin's attacks when he had trained him. Aisu recovered her balance, landing neatly on her feet. She re-sheathed her sword and rushed at him. He mirrored her. Their blades clattered against each other and a moment later both sheaths had done the same. /He knows the Dou Ryu Sen. Hitokiri Battousai.//  
  
"Hitokiri Battousai," she said softly, out loud this time. "Himura Kenshin."  
  
Kenshin was not the least bit phased by his first name but Aisu thought he sensed uncertainty from him as she mentioned his second name.  
  
"Yes," he said shortly, pausing before he continued "You're style, it's similar to mine."  
  
"No, it's not similar," Aisu said, giving up any pretense of who or what Kenshin had become. "Our styles are exactly the same."  
  
Aisu straightened. There was another ki somewhere close by. It had approached during her brief fight with the Kenshin. Whoever it was, was doing everything to mask his ki. Aisu found its source nonetheless. She stared unblinkingly into the shadow from which she was sure it came. Kenshin seemed to have noticed it too and was looking in the same direction. As her eyes adjusted, she could see the tall figure, Saitou.  
  
"There's no need to hide anymore," Aisu said, annoyed at the fact that she had been looking right into his eyes for the last minute and he still had not moved.  
  
"So I was right after all."  
  
The tall figure stepped out of the shadows coming closer to where she and Kenshin were standing, acting as if they had not found him. Saitou was standing there, wearing the smirk that had haunted her for the last weeks. Anger rose to the surface of her eyes.  
  
"I figured you were hiding something from me when we met back in that shop." He came closer, his smirk unrelenting.  
  
"So, you and the Hitokiri use the same style. Most likely learned it under the same master too." Saitou stopped, a few meters away from her.  
  
"I should thank you for leading me here. As you might have guessed, the Battousai and I have some unfinished business. It's time for you to decide whose side you're on."  
  
"I am on no one's side." Aisu said defiantly, hating him for finding her. Hating him for destroying her first true chance to talk with her fellow apprentice, however disgusting she found his way of life.  
  
"Incorrect." Saitou said in is cold superior tone. "The Battousai and I have a fight to finish and we will finish it now. There is nothing you can do to stop it. After I defeat the Battousai I will deal with you."  
  
"It's not that easy." Aisu said quietly, putting as much menace into her voice as she could muster.  
  
"It is that easy," he replied in the same tone  
  
He stepped past her and faced Kenshin, who had taken his stance as soon as his name was mentioned. Saitou had done likewise. Her anger flared at being pushed aside like an insignificant little girl. She whipped around as fast as she could. In a blur she was standing between the two fighters glaring into Saitou's eyes. Her ki was flaring like her anger. Saitou almost took a step back but caught himself, pulling an amused smirk over his features. The wind was picking up with brutal cold. Aisu's eyes narrowed further. She was about to speak when footsteps resounded in the street. She scanned the direction from which they were coming and heard Saitou curse under his breath. Kenshin, who had remained silent since Saitou had arrived, was looking into the same direction.  
  
"Looks like our meeting has been cut short," Kenshin commented. He gave Saitou a cold stare, receiving one in return. His violet eyes rested briefly on Aisu before he disappeared.  
  
Aisu also started to turn away. She had but a few steps when Saitou spoke behind her.  
  
"You cannot walk a middle path in this age. The Battousai and I are enemies. You cannot be at peace with both of us." He glanced at the pendant he had given her. Aisu followed his eyes, realizing the liquid had turned into the stone. Saitou pulled up another smirk.  
  
"You did it again," he said.  
  
Aisu turned around, likewise disappearing into shadows, leaving Saitou behind. 


	10. chapter 10

Chapter Ten  
  
Why he had sought her out, he didn't really know. Why would he want to talk the girl? /Because she uses Hiten Mitsurugi. Because I am supposed to be the only student. Because I'm only a few years older than her, which means she must have received training around the same time that I did but Seijuro is the only master. Because she seems to know a lot about my training and me.// The reasons flashed through Kenshin's mind as he left the outskirts of Kyoto for their meeting place. He couldn't exactly show his face in Kyoto with Hajime Saitou prowling the streets. /Saitou. They knew each other. They had probably been on the same side from the way he spoke to her. If she is, than this could be a trap. But then again, she had not acted as if she meant to hurt him when they had met in the streets that night.//  
  
He neared the place where they had agreed to meet. She was already there, sitting on the ground, her back against a tree. Seeing him approaching she stood up, looking at him warily. They were standing across from each, neither readily taking the initiative.  
  
"Who are you," Kenshin asked finally.  
  
"My name is Aisu," her answer was mater-of-fact and showed no emotion whatsoever. "And you are Himura Kenshin." She hesitated. "Although, you're not at all like the Kenshin I remember." Her tone contained a hint of sadness.  
  
"I cannot say that I know you. I have never even heard your name. So how is it that you know me but I am unaware as to who you are?"  
  
"I was there when you received your training Seijuro Hiko. I wasn't supposed to be there at all. Seijuro told me to leave but I did not." /Why am I telling him anything at all? He changed.//  
  
"I don't understand."  
  
Aisu sighed and sat back down in her earlier spot gazing through the leaves that obscured the afternoon's sunlight. She was going to tell him everything after all. It was almost a relief. She would have someone to talk to about her life. She looked over hat Kenshin who had relaxed and sat down near her.  
  
"Before I found Seijuro Hiko, I lived in one of the surrounding towns. My real family must have died soon after I was born because I never knew them. Anyway, I lived with another family and didn't like it very much. I got enough food I suppose but I never got a chance to eat it. I was always working from before dawn until after dark. There was no time to eat in the morning or at noon and in the evening I was so tired, half the time I couldn't stay awake long enough to eat. So, I ran away." Aisu paused. Her face was still as emotionless as it had been when Kenshin had come.  
  
"I'm guessing you found Seijuro Hiko's place." She was surprised to hear him speak in a non-hostile tone.  
  
"Yes," Aisu conceded. She continued, recounting how she had bet with Seijuro to get him to teach her, how he had managed to wriggle his way out when she won and how she had refused his denial and learned anyway. She told him about her training, how she had watched Seijuro train him and learned along with him.  
  
"When you left, I did too. You said you wanted to help people. I was going to do the exact same thing, although," she hesitated, not wanting to provoke him, "my idea of helping people turned out drastically different from yours."  
  
Silence followed her comment. Kenshin hadn't moved since she finished speaking but he did not seem like he had taken her observation as an insult. The more she thought about the more she wanted him to do something besides just sit there. He had committed so many crimes and seemed to not even care.  
  
"Why did you become someone like." Aisu faltered but Kenshin seemed to get her point.  
  
"I learned swordsmanship so that I could protect people, so that I could help them. That's what I'm doing. In order for there to be change, there must be revolution; every revolution contains some bloodshed."  
  
"How can you call what you are doing protecting people."  
  
Aisu's mask had finally cracked. Gone was the ice that had kept her face straight and emotionless.  
  
"Seijuro was right when he said you should finish your training. Whoever you work for is using you and you are letting them."  
  
Her voice was rising, filled with anger and disgust. Why had she ever thought she could find a companion who shared her experiences in this man? He was nothing. The wind started to pick up again. Aisu did not realize that cold but Kenshin seemed to have noted a change, crossing his arms with a slight shiver.  
  
"When you left I thought your cause to be a noble one and I set out to do the same. I never dreamed you could become someone so disgusting." Aisu's voice was harsh and filled with anger.  
  
"I did not receive official training in Hiten Mitsurugi but I know one thing. What you are doing is wrong. Work like yours goes against every one of its principles. I am sure Seijuro Hiko did not teach you Hiten Mitsurugi so that you could hire yourself to some government and do their dirty work."  
  
Aisu had gotten to her feet. She was looking down at Kenshin who was still sitting there, looking up at her, face emotionless. Her eyes flashed at him, as she turned on her heel and left. One last gust swept over Kenshin before the winds died away again.  
  
"Wait." Kenshin was on his feet and half running behind her. "You never gave me a chance to fully explain why. You're judging me before you know me."  
  
"I have thought about it a lot. About what you did and how it might be justified." Aisu said in a considerable calmer tone. "But I have come to a conclusion and it is this. In my mind, your actions can never be justified." She paused, allowing Kenshin to catch up a little. "There is one more thing. When Seijuro refused the second time, I was determined to be exactly like you. If you said you would help people then I would as well. Now that I've seen what became of you, I can't believe I ever wanted to be like you."  
  
With that, Aisu left. Kenshin did not follow her.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
/Should I go? Or should I just forget about him?// Through Saitou and her own deductions, Aisu had found out that there would be a fight tonight. An attempt to assassinate Himura Kenshin, no Battousai. He was no longer Himura Kenshin. /But what does that matter to me. He is no longer the person I knew him to be. He's no longer the person I admired. He's just a cold-blooded killer. He is the Battousai and as such he can defend himself.// Darkness was taking over, pushing the sun out of the sky. /And yet, maybe I should at least warn him. Maybe there is a reason that compelled him to do what he did.//  
  
The cycle was endless. With the sun now completely gone, Aisu looked out over Kyoto towards where she knew Kenshin was. /I suppose I might owe him a little for watching his training all these years. I could warn him and be done with it.// It was now completely dark, only a few lights marked where Kyoto was. /If I don't do anything, would that make me just as cold blooded as him.// She paused to look again over Kyoto's lingering lights. /Yes, it would.//  
  
Aisu rushed through the streets and alleys of Kyoto. Sounds of fighting reached her ears. They had already found him. There was a cry of pain, Kenshin's pain she grasped. Aisu rounded the corner. Kenshin was on one knee. Blood was running from a wound somewhere. A woman rushed out between him and his attacker. Tomoe. Aisu recognized her from Kenshin's description. It happened in but a split second. Kenshin had not realized what Tomoe was doing. With the same attack that vanquished his opponent, Tomoe fell as well. He caught her and took her in his arms. I was too late. Tears filled her eyes. Hoping no one had noticed her, Aisu left the scene.  
  
/It's my fault// Aisu realized as she sat there, watching the rain with blank eyes. /I could have stopped this and I did not. I was too busy wondering if he deserved help.// Aisu looked into the sky letting the rain hit her face. /Everyone deserves to be helped. I should never have questioned that.// The tears mingled with the rain and slid down her face. 


	11. chapter 11

Chapter Eleven  
  
Aisu had been following Kenshin at quiet a distance. In fact she hadn't seen him at all since morning. He had left Kyoto a few days after Tomoe's death and Aisu had followed him, wanting to apologize or say something to him. She had never actually gotten to speak with him since he had ignored her so she had dropped back.  
  
/I can't keep trailing him like this, but I feel like I can't just let him go on with his life thinking that I meant what I said and did in full.// She hadn't meant to yell at him the way she did when he had come to talk to her. Although she still did not understand what had driven him to act the way he did she had not meant to judge him so harshly. /I have to catch up to him.//  
  
It was already dark when she approached Kenshin's makeshift camp. It was nothing but a fire and a blanket, but then again, Aisu reasoned, she had hardly had more on her travels, except that Kenshin seemed to have overlooked his need for food. Aisu approached from the side, purposely making noise so as not to startle Kenshin. She stopped a few steps away from him. Kenshin was up in a blur. His sword whipped out. She could see it coming and was about to block it but stopped herself. /I don't want this to turn into a fight.// Kenshin's sword whipped past her, ripping part of her sleeve. He re-sheathed it calmly.  
  
"Why didn't you block it," Kenshin asked sitting back down, nothing in his manner acknowledging that she was there.  
  
"I don't want this to turn into a fight," Aisu replied simply, sitting down next to him.  
  
When he did not object she retrieved some cooked rice out of her pack and gave it to him.  
  
"Go away, I don't need another lecture," was the only reply he gave.  
  
"I'm not here to lecture." Aisu replied starting to eat her rice. "I was rather expecting you to give me one."  
  
Kenshin did not reply, eating his own share of rice.  
  
"What I said when we met outside of Kyoto, I didn't really mean it quiet that harsh." Aisu conceded.  
  
Kenshin did not reply, or in fact show any signs that he had heard her.  
  
"Kenshin?"  
  
"But you did mean it," Kenshin finally said. "You meant it to a certain extent, right."  
  
"Well, yes I suppose," Aisu answered carefully.  
  
"And I think you are at least partially right," Kenshin said quietly. "But still, you cannot deny that Hiten Mitsurugi is a style designed to kill instantly." Kenshin paused, eating some more rice.  
  
"Hiten Mitsurugi does not focus on defense. So if you wished to use it to defend someone, you would have to attack." Kenshin paused again, looking into the fire. "A little paradox."  
  
Aisu nodded. /I never thought of it that way but I can't deny that he is correct. All the Hiten Mitsurugi's techniques slay instantly.// Kenshin set down his empty rice bowl next to him and met Aisu's eyes for the first time. She was surprised how the hard violet eyes she remembered form a few days ago had turned sorrowful.  
  
"You were there when Tomoe died weren't you?" Aisu's eyes widened a little in surprise and stared back into the fire. /I suppose I should have expected him to know.//  
  
"I never thought of the people I killed as completely human. I was told about all the evil things they had done, all evils they had committed, but I was never told about their families or about the good things they had done. It took Tomoe's death for me to completely realize that the men I had killed had people to care about them just like I cared for Tomoe."  
  
"Seijuro will scorn me for that." Kenshin added as an afterthought.  
  
"I could have saved her. I could have saved you." Aisu admitted, shame cloaking her voice. "I knew someone was coming for you but I was blinded and made excuses for why I should not go. When I got there. I'm sorry."  
  
/This sounds even stupider now that I'm admitting it.// Kenshin acted as if he had not heard her. His expression had not changed at all, but then again, what did she expect him to do. Aisu got up quietly. /There is nothing else to do now. I guess I should go.//  
  
"You shouldn't travel at night," Kenshin said, realizing her intention.  
  
"I know," Aisu replied feeling for her pack in the darkness.  
  
"Then don't leave," Kenshin reasoned. /I might as well have killed Tomoe. I can't stay after that// Aisu thought desperately.  
  
"I assumed you probably wouldn't want me around any more, now that you know I could have done something about." Aisu trailed off, guiltily.  
  
"Tomoe's death is something I must come to accept either way. Both of us have been trekking all day and if you are as tired as I am then you would not get very far anyway." Kenshin's reasoning was impeccable. "You might as well stay near the fire where it's warm."  
  
He was right. She really had considered dropping down just out of sight. Instead she rolled out her blanket and crawled into it, glad for the warm fire. She looked up at the sky contemplating what Kenshin had said.  
  
"I wonder if Seijuro Hiko has come across this paradox?" Aisu said to herself.  
  
"I'm sure he has." Aisu started at Kenshin's reply, not knowing he was still awake.  
  
"I'll have to visit him sometime. I'm a lot stronger now then I was when I left. Maybe he's changed his mind about teaching me." Aisu said wistfully, knowing nothing would change Hiko's mind. "Will you go back to continue your training?"  
  
There was no answer. /Kenshin must have fallen asleep.// Rolling over under her blanket, Aisu soon fell prey to sleep as well.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Heavy fog covered the area so that Aisu could not be sure whether the sun was already up. It was so thick she could hardly see the hand in front of her face, much less Kenshin sleeping a little way away from her. The sound of a shifting blanket and his regular breathing told her he was still asleep. Aisu poked the fire, finding not one coal remaining, nor was any of the wood truly dry. Aisu sighed. Dew covered everything, making her clothing stick to her. /No point in trying to make a fire. Everything is moist.// She heard Kenshin wake up and was able to make out his form through the fog.  
  
"Sleep well?" She asked cheerfully.  
  
"I could have done a little less fog, that I could." Kenshin answered squinting in her direction.  
  
"Indeed."  
  
"You would not happen to have anymore of that rice left, would you?" Kenshin inquired, realizing his stomach was pleading with him.  
  
"A little," Aisu admitted.  
  
The little rice that remained was gone quickly. And soon the two were back on the road. The sun had started to burn away the fog, leaving a beautiful landscape in its wake.  
  
"May I ask what you will do now that the revolution has come to an end?" Aisu queried after a while.  
  
"I honestly don't know. I think I will wander for a while. I have done so much that is immoral and wrong that there is no possible way to repay for it all." Kenshin said, his voice growing quiet towards the end.  
  
"You will not go back and train with Seijuro?" Aisu asked, a little disappointed.  
  
"No, I think I will not." Realizing her disappointment he went on, "Why do you ask?"  
  
"If you were to go back then I could continue learning Hiten Mitsurugi. I suppose I will go again and ask him to train me directly."  
  
"You yourself said that killing is vile. Why do you now seek instruction in it?"  
  
"Perhaps Hiten Mitsurugi does teach ways to end life, however, does the user not have a choice in whether to kill or not?" Aisu paused, remembering her train of thought from the night before. "Hiten Mitsurugi also teaches precision and restraint. You could attack someone without killing your opponent, could you not? The tiniest movement of a blade can make any lethal attack less so. I suppose what I am trying to say is that even though swordsmanship can be described as the art of killing, whether it is truly so depends on how the user chooses to exercise it."  
  
Kenshin walked in silence for a while, Aisu beside him, wondering whether her logic was true. She absentmindedly gazed at the meadows and clearings as they passed. /This place wasn't affected at all by the revolution// Aisu realized. /Destruction in Kyoto and the other cities is great but out here the revolution might as well not have happened at all. Everything will die down now. Even if it does not, western civilization is coming into the forefront. They'll hardly want swordsmen anymore. I suppose there's really nothing to do but wander.//  
  
Aisu dropped down in the shade of a tree. The afternoon was cool and pleasant. Only a few white clouds obscured the brilliant blue sky. Kenshin was filling water into a jug from nearby stream, which reflected the sunlight brilliantly.  
  
"I don't think we will wander together much longer." Aisu said regrettably, walking over to Kenshin and filling up her own jug. "If I'm going to visit Seijuro Hiko, I have already gone far off course."  
  
"We already knew we had different intentions," Kenshin said, hoping to lighten her mood.  
  
"I suppose."  
  
"When do you plan to go your way?"  
  
"Ahead there is a road leading west. I saw it earlier when we were cresting that hill."  
  
"I see," Kenshin shielded his regret.  
  
When she had stood atop the hill, the fork in the road had seemed so far away. Now that she was standing in the middle of it, she wished she had not seen it.  
  
"I have enjoyed your company Kenshin." Aisu said, her voice heavy.  
  
"And I yours." Kenshin replied. "However, remember, if we are both wanderers I am sure there will come a time when we can walk together for a time, that I am."  
  
/He's changed so much in just a few weeks.// Aisu looked at Kenshin seeing a smile on his face. His eyes were not narrowed; they were clear and kind.  
  
"I am sure we will meet again."  
  
Aisu started to leave but before she could Kenshin stepped forward and embraced her. Aisu froze, quiet surprised.  
  
"Kenshin, why-"  
  
"Because you are like a sister to me," Kenshin paused. " Neither of us has blood-relatives but I still think of you as if you were my sister. You have helped me open my eyes and put past behind me. I thank you for that." /Please don't take it as anything more than that. /  
  
Aisu blushed a little but put her arms around Kenshin.  
  
"I'm glad I was able to actually talk to you after all this time."  
  
Aisu moved away from Kenshin.  
  
"Goodbye to you, then," Aisu said.  
  
"Farewell Aisu"  
  
Aisu walked down the stretch of road towards the already setting sun, her ki awareness stretching to feel Kenshin for as long as she could. When the tiny flicker finally disappeared from her awareness Aisu smiled. /We will meet again.//  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
I don't know if this is the end or not, but it will be for a few weeks because I have decided that my midterms are more important 


End file.
